Pasadena Muir Arrives as a Runaway Favorite

Barring any dropped batons or false starts, the Pasadena Muir High boys’ track and field team should easily win its third consecutive title at the state meet today and Saturday at Cerritos College.

Coach Clyde Turner has been building a dynasty at a school better known for its successful football and basketball programs. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that he has had junior standout Obea Moore on his team the last three years.

Moore won the 200 meters (20.77 seconds) and 400 (46.14) and anchored the team’s 1,600 relay (3:11.64) at the Southern Section’s Masters Meet last Friday. He has qualified for the Olympic trials in the 400 and is considered to have a good shot at making the team as an alternate on the 1,600 relay.

Moore is expected to challenge state records in the 200 and 400, and Muir hopes to break the national record in the 1,600 of 3:07.40 set by Hawthorne in 1985.

Muir also figures to receive a strong performance from hurdler Makio Haywood, who has the third-fastest qualifying time in the 110 highs (13.85) and the top qualifying time in the 300 intermediates (36.76). The Mustangs should also place high in the 400 relay.

The girls’ team race figures to be a battle between James Logan of Union City and Long Beach Wilson. Defending champion Long Beach Poly qualified both of its relays and several individuals but is not expected to place high in many of those events.

Individually, Michael Granville of Bell Gardens will finish a memorable four-year career by challenging the national record of 1:47.31 in the 800. He has a qualifying time of 1:48.76.

Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks set a national record in the 3,200 at the Masters Meet last week in 9:48.59 and will duel with defending champion Julia Stamps of Santa Rosa.

In the girls’ sprints, Angela Williams of Chino will try to qualify for the Olympic trials in the 200 after running a 23.33 at the Masters Meet. She has already qualified for the trials in the 100, but will skip the event at the state meet.

Competition starts today at 2 p.m. with the girls’ pole vault followed by other field events at 4. The running events start at 5. On Saturday, the girls’ pole vault starts at 2, other field events at 3 and running events at 4.